Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium for converting image data obtained by reading an original by a scanner and transferring the data.
Description of Related Art
There is a multi function peripheral for charging a user for the copy of an original or the like. For example, there is an image processing apparatus which checks whether a user inserts money which is not less than a charge fee necessary for executing all processes designated by the user, and which starts the processes in case that it is confirmed that the money which is not less than the necessary charge fee is inserted (See Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-111592).
Among multi function peripherals to which an external recording medium, such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or the like, is detachably attached, there is a multi function peripheral for executing a job for converting the image data obtained by reading an original by a scanner into the data having the designated format as a file, and for storing the file in a USB memory (Scan To USB job). In case that an original having a plurality of sheets is processed in accordance with the above job, in general, as shown in the process method A of FIG. 6, by executing the process for converting the image data of the read pages and for transferring the file generated by converting the image data to a USB memory in parallel with the operation for reading the original, the whole process time is shortened.
In case of the Scan To USB job, because the charge fee is calculated according to the number of sheets of the original, the image size, color/monochrome, or the like, the charge fee cannot be decided until the whole original have been read. Therefore, when the process is executed by using the process method A shown in FIG. 6, the file is transferred to a USB memory without confirming that the necessary charge fee is paid. A wrong action in which the USB memory is withdrawn without paying the necessary charge fee, cannot be prevented.
In view of the above problem, the following process method B is considered. In the process method B, the charge fee is decided by reading the whole original and the image data obtained by reading the original are temporarily stored in the image processing apparatus. After it is confirmed that the money which is not less than the decided charge fee is inserted, the image data stored in the image processing apparatus are converted and the data are transferred to the USB memory. In the process method B, because the image conversion and the data transfer are started after the reading of the original is finished, the whole process time is longer than that of the process method A.
For example, it is assumed that the job for reading the original having fifty sheets to convert the image data of the original and for transferring the data to the USB memory is executed in accordance with the process method B shown in FIG. 6. In this case, the process time for converting the image data of one sheet of an original having A4 size into the data as a file having the PDF (Portable Document Format) format is 1 second, the file size of the data for one sheet of the original is 50 KB, the transfer speed of the data to the USB memory is 30 MB/s, and the reading time for reading the original having fifty sheets by the scanner is 80 seconds. The whole process time is calculated by the equation: the reading time (80 seconds)+ the image conversion time (1 second×50 sheets)+ the transfer time (1 second)=131 seconds.
In case that the process method A shown in FIG. 6 is used, the reading of the original and the image conversion/data transfer are executed in parallel. Therefore, the whole process time for the job is only the reading time (80 seconds)+alpha. As described above, when the process method B is adopted in order to charge the fee, in case of the reading of 50 sheets, the whole process time is about 50 seconds longer than that of the process method A.
Not only in case that the data are stored in a USB memory, but also, for example, in case that a user is charged for the job for transmitting the file obtained by the image conversion to an external terminal via the network, the above problem is caused. Further, in addition to the case in which the charge fee is paid, for example, in case that the upper limit of the number of the sheets which can be used by each user or in each section of a company is managed, the above problem is caused.